a healthy Tmac > Vince Carter. If this trade happens, I'll miss the Tmac of old who carried the Rockets during Yao's absence the last couple yrs. My fondest memory would be his exploits vs the Mavs.
It's a nice lineup but I don't see us moving past the 1st round w/the addition of VC. Yao doesn't scare nobody, VC doesn't D up, and Rafer is still Rafer. I do envision more fluid ball movement though. I doubt this trade will happen, imo.

Wow so the ball is the Rockets court. Carter has impressed me a lot on the Nets team. He is still one of the best closers in the NBA. The Rockets could really do with him. However if T-Mac is out for the rest of the season, then they are giving up a lot of players just for him. The Rockets need to keep Landry IMO.

There were two ways to determine whether the Rockets would trade for Vince Carter. There were those within the Rockets' decision-making that could reveal the Rockets' true interest in Vince Carter. They said there was none. Or anyone could check to see if Daryl Morey was still the general manager.

He is. The Rockets still search for value, players that outperform the space they occupy in the Rockets' allowance. The Rockets are not trading for Vince Carter, though he did offer a pretty impressive audition.

The problem is that I cannot reveal what they do hope to accomplish because I could not pry loose the name.

There is a long-shot deal they hope to make, too much of a longshot apparently for me to shake free the name. Basically, the Rockets want either a difference maker or the sort of deal that could help them get that sort of player later (like the way trading for Bobby Jackson enabled them to get Ron Artest.)

The McGrady developments late Tuesday will not impact this. They were not dealing him. No one is taking on that contract now, even before he said he would need microfracture surgery.

The Rockets could settle for a small move, maybe pick up a first-round pick from a team that does not want to have to spend the money on a late first-rounder. They could move Luther Head. He would seem to need minutes he does not seem likely to get here and there are teams with backcourt injuries. He is expected to be ready to play by next week. And they might just pull off something more significant.

I have been told that they still believe in this team's chances enough that for now they are trying to find what they can get rather than what they can get rid of. (That would come next off-season if they go nowhere again.) Ron Artest is probably the most coveted commodity (Yao Ming is untouchable so he doesn't count). Artest has an expiring contract and a proven game. He is, however, also still valuable to the Rockets.

They also do not seem wedded to the idea that they need to save as much salary cap room for 2010 as possible. They won't take a contract they would not themselves offer a particular player. Again, Morey's job is to avoid lousy contracts. But if they would like to have a player beyond 2010, they would not avoid a deal just to play the field in the free-agent sweepstakes that summer.

This season's deadline is Thursday. The Rockets hope to make some noise. Beyond that, they are staying, as they say in the B movies, quiet, almost too quiet.

It's funny how the timing of Tmac's injury has on any possible Trades. It still has not been confirmed by anyone except being as rumor.

Tmac's huge 22 mil contract next year is going to dictate which direction we heading.

If I am Morey, I would keep Tmac's contract as his value will skyrocketed next year for some teams and also helpful to us. However, it could mean at an expense at us for this and next year.

Morey is probably still thinking what he could do for the organization and fans for this year and next and also give the team enough room beyond 2010.

One of the two has to go either Ron or Shane. They are both valueable to us and to other teams. personally, I don't see us signing Ron beyond this year and his expiring contract is worth something.

Rumor that includes Ron, Landry, Shane, and Head for VC/boone is a bit too much. I am willing to part with Ron, Landry and Head for VC and still give us room to push pass second round this year.

It'll be best if Tracy is gone after the playoffs and before the 09-10 season begins. This way we can develop chemistry early just like the Iverson trade. Also I doubt Yao's body will last pass next season. I'm sure Morey wants T-mac gone, but of course he's got going to say it in the media.
As for the NJ trade, their roster is already overloaded so its no way they can take so many players back.